Electric switch-lock.



W. P. NEUBER'I'. I ELECTRIC SWITCH LOOK.

Patented M21129, 1999;

W P. NEUBERT.

/ ELECTRIC SWITCH LOCK.

APPLIOATION FILED SBPT.10, 1908.

914,447: Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. P. NEUBERT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH LOCK.

A PPLIEJATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1908. 914,447. Patented Mar. 9, 1909. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wig R its operating mechanism.

"Fig. 3.

switch rod by lever by 12, these parts being of any pre-" unrrnn s reams r rrrnn enrich.

WALTER P. NEUBERT, 0F SWISSVALE BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLV AN IA.

ELEC'EBIIG $17! IECH-LGGK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 9, 1909.

Application filed september 10, 1908. Serial No. 4=52,70.

certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switch-Locks,

of which the followa specification. invention relates to switch locks and particularly to an electrically controlled switch lock.

It is specially designed for use with any common form of throw-over lever for operating the switch.

I will describe preferred embodiments er my invention and then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate. like arts, Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch and Fig. 2 is a side view of the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the lever locking mechanism. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken at a right angle-to Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modification. Fig. 6 i a view similar to Fig 3 showing a further modifica in is I tion. Fig. 7 1s a sectional view of a key release for the locking dog. Fig. 8 is a per spective view of a modified form of magnets for controlling the locking dog.

The switch rails are indicated by 10, the 11 and the switch operating ferred construction and connected together in any desired manner so that the movement of the lever will operate the switch rails.

The electric locking mechanism is contained in a suitable supporting casing which is adapted to be secured to a railway tie adjacent the switch points. The casing comprises two parts 13, 13 which are detachabl* connected together by bolts 13 and wit a cover 14, which is hinged to the part 13 The openings for the bolts 13 in the two parts are symmetrically arranged with reference to the vertical center planes extending at right angles through the casing. The advantage of having the containing casing in two parts 13, 15 is that the device can be used for right and'left hand applications. For example in Figs. 1 and 2 the casing is assembled for a left hand application, that is the hand latch 16 which must be operated beparts is always followed in practice.

fore the operating lever 12 is moved, is farthest from the switch rail, which relationof If new the whole mechanism of Fig. 1 for moving and locking the switch were moved to the right of the switch without any change, the hand latch 12 would be nearest the rail and in releasing the operating lever 12 the operator would have to reach over the operating lever. To avoid this it is only necessary to remove the connecting bolts 13 and turn the part 18 and cover 14 through an angle of 180 and again connect the two parts. The symmetrical arrangement of the bolt openings permits of this.

When the switch is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the operating lever 12 will rest on a portion of the casing 13 adjacent a pair of s aced standards 15, 15, which may be integra with the casing or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. A hand latch 16 is pivoted to the standards 15 and 17 at its nose 18 overhangs the lever 12 andv prevents the latter from being lifted.

19 (see Fig. 3) is eleven-pivoted at 20 to the standards 15, and its upper end projects into a space 21 between. the handle and the nose portion of the hand latch and engages the nose portion. An end 22 of the lever 19 engages one end of a sliding rod 23 which is mounted in the support 13, and a spring 24 normally holds the rod in one of its extreme positions;- as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The other end of the rodis connected to the lower end of a locking plate 25, the upper end of .which is provided with a notch or recess 26 'to receive a locking dog. Preferably this dog will comprise two metal plates 27 secured rigidly to o posite sides of ,one end of a bar 28, whic is preferably ofnon-magnetic material. The other end of this bar is connected to one arm 29 of an angle lever which is pivotally supported at 30, and the other arm 31 of said angle lever carries the armature 33 of the magnet 32. When the magnet is energized it will attract its armature and lift the dog 27 out of the notch 26 in the plate 25 and leave said plate free to move, and when the magnet is deenergized the dog 27 will drop onto the top of plate 25 and into the notch 26 when the latter is moved into alinement therewith.

The late 25 may be connected to the sliding re 23 in different ways: Thus in Fig. 6 theplate is riveted or otherwise rigidly se- "LOO 15 on the do 25 station or signal tower and using either di- 55 shaft 41.

cured to the rod to move with it in straight lines. In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the plate 25 1s provided with a'sleeve34 which is journaled on a shaft 35 fixed in the support 13. The sleeve 5 has a depending arm 36 which is bifurcated to receive the forward end of the rod 23 and also slotted transversely to receive a pin 37 carried by the rod 23. In this construction the plate 25 will rockon the shaft 35 when the rod 23 is moved.

As long as the. dog 27 is in the notch 26 the rod 23 Wlll prevent the hand latch 16 and lever 19 from being moved sufficiently to permit the lever 12 bein operated. Any strain 27 .caused by an attempt to move the hand atch when it is in the notch 26 will be taken up by the guides or lugs 38 which are part of the fixed frame or support, thus preventing this strain being transnntted to the armature or its pivotal support. J

The magnet 32 may be ener 'zed from any suitable controlling circuit,w 'ch maybe a track circuit, or a circuit with its controller and source of current in a telegraph ofiice,

rect or alternating current in the circuit. In the event that alternating current is used in the circuit the form of magnet 32 in Fig. 8 is em lo ed. The copper ferrules 32 act to retar t e dema net1zation of the magnet cores due to the ciange in polarity of the alternating current. This arrangement is well known in the art of alternating current magnets. 35 2.7 will be lifted andthe hand latch may then be turned on its pivot until the nose 18 is moved entirely out of the ath of the lever 12, and the latter may then e swung over to operate the switch. The movement of the hand latch will cause the lever 19 to force the rod 23 inwardl against the force of the spring 24, and t s will cause the plate 25 to move and bring the notch 26 out of,alinement with the dog 27. If the magnet is now deenergized the dog will drop onto and rest plpon the upper edge of the plate 25 and when e latter is returned to its normal positionwill dro into the notch 26. In or or to lock the hand latch 16 and the plate 25 in what may be termedopen position, I provide a lock rod 39, see Figs. 2 and 3. TlllS rod is pivoted at one end on a stud 40 mounted on the lever12 slightly below and to the left of the center of switch lever This rod is loosely supported at its free end in an opening 42 in one of the standards 15 with its end normally in close proximity to the lever 19. When the hand atch'16 hasmoved sufficiently to clear the lever 12 the lever 19 will have moved sufficiently to clear the lock rod 39 and when the operating lever 12 is moved upwardly the rod39 Wlll be moved endwise in front of the lever 19 and thus lock it against any return movement under the influence of the spring When the magnet is energized the dog 7 24 and the rod 39 will remain in looking position even though it may move, until the lever 12 is returned to normal position. The lever 12 thus controls the return of the, plate 25 to locking position, and as soon as the'lever 12 has been returnedv to normal position the rod 39 will be clear of the lever 19 and the spring 24 will'restore the parts to. normal or looking position. When the tf; mechanism is used fora righthand ap l1c a tion the lever is pivoted on the stud 40%; In making the change of the electric. from a left hand to a right hand a plication the rod 23 is disconnected from t e arm 36 The support 13 may be provided with, bracket 43 to guide and support a lock 44 connected to the switch rails, and pro vided with a notch or recess at one end to receive the switch lever 12 when the latter is in normal position and thus lock the switch rails against movement. See Figs. 1, 2 and '4.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the cover 14 provided with a glass closed opening 45 beneath which an indicator 46 will be moved when the dog 27 is, in the notch 26. The indicator 46 is connected to a rod 47 pivoted at its lower end at 48 and provided with an arm 49 connected by a link 50 to the dog 27.

The movement of the bar 28 of non-magnetic material may be utilized to move the movable contacts 51 and 52 into and out of engagment'with fixed contacts 53 and 54, respectively, to close and open circuits which may be employed to indicate whether or not the lever 12 1s locked, or for signaling or other urposes.

In ig. 7 I have shown means for mechanically lifting the dog 27 out of the notch 26. These means comprise a lock 55 the bolt 56 of which will normally lie close to or be just in contact with the dog 27 when at its innermost position, and when a key (not shown) is turned in the lock the bolt will be moved outward and the dog will be lifted clear of the notch 26. The lock will preferably be of such construction that the key cannot be withdrawn after it has been turned to move the bolt outwardly until it has been turned back again and moved the bolt inwardly.

Without limiting myself to the precise details of construction illustrated and de-' scribed, I claim:

1. The combination with switch rails and an operating lever, of a pivoted hand latch normally preventing upward movement of the lever, a spring actuated sliding rod, a plate connected to said rod to move therewith and provided with a notch, an electrically controlled dog for engaging said notch, and a pivoted lever for transmitting movement between the hand latch and the sliding rod.

2. The combination with switch rails and an operatinglever, of a pivoted hand latch 130 erase:

of the lever, a sliding to the rod and provided pivoted dog normally electric means for lifting the notch, a lever for transmitting movement to said notched plate when from the latch the said dog is lifted an operating rod, a plate connected with a notch, a engagi g the notch, dog out oi said out of the notch, and.

locking means controlled hy the movement of the operating leve notch out of alinement with the said dog.

3. The combination lever, of a manually operated r for holding the said with switch rails and locking mechamsm for the lever, a pivoted an operating dog for controlling the said locking mecht'or releasing the said the bolt of which can independently of said with switch rails and lever, of locking mechanism for said lever, a dog forcontrolling the movement of the locking mechanism, trolling the movement fixed contacts within the inclosing the dog,

devices conof the dog, a casing casing, and other contacts movable with the dog into and out of fixed contacts.

engagement with the 5. The combination in an electric switch lock of a supportin parts and detachab casing made in two y connected together through symmetrically arran ed connect means, an electrically controlled lock in sai casing, a switch lever and a manually operated locking mechanism for said switch lever, the operation of which to release the as I switch lever 1s governed by said electrically controlled lock.

6. The combination with switch rails, of an operating lever, therefor, means for preventing upward movement of said lever under certain conditions, a sliding rod operable in one direction by said means, a notched plate movable by said rod, an electrically controlled dog co-acting with said notch, and means for taking up strain on said dog transmitted thereto by an attempt to move the lever with the dog in the notch.

7. The combination with switch rails, a lock bar connected therewith and provided with a notch, an operating lever for said switch adapted in one position of the switch to fit in said notch and an electrically controlled lock for said lever.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed witnesses.

WALTER P. NEUBERT- -Witnesses.

' M. D. I'TANLON, W. E. Fosrnn. 

